


Of Mages and Templars

by ADLegend21



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-16 14:12:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3491315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ADLegend21/pseuds/ADLegend21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lover's have a quarrel about the issues. No one said love was easy between a mage and a seeker. The Peanut Gallery also doesn't help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Mages and Templars

Night time at Skyhold. It was something to behold, honestly. The castle was majestic in the sun, and more so under the moon light. One would even call it romantic. That is until you hear shouting in the distance.

"What do you mean the Circle's being reinstated is a bad thing? It is for the protection of the Mages and everyone around them!" The noise had been going on for matter of seconds before ears all around them perked up. By the throne in the great hall, Seeker Pentaghast stood almost nose to nose with the Inquisitor.

"I mean exactly that. The Circles were a prison in name and in action. Mages are not criminals!" The Inquisitor said firmly, and of course his nemesis, Vivienne De Fer was within earshot.

"Right, remind me, who was it that blew up the Chantry in Kirkwall darling? A mage? Why, maker, that sounds like a criminal to me." She said coolly. "Face it darling, Templars are here for our protection as well as the rest of the worlds."

"Vivienne has a point, my love, Templars-" Cassandra started, but The Inquisitor was rounding on Vivienne.

"You know who attempted to assassinate Empress Celene? A rogue." he said, "You know who saved her? A Mage." He made eye contact with the enchanter. "You know who started the Mage/Templar war? A Templar on Red Lyrium. You know who ended it? A mage when he took in the 'Rebellion' as Allies." he exaggerated the calling of the Free Mages as rebels. "You know who ended the Fifth Blight? Multiple Mages."

"The Inquisitor has a point." The voice of Morrigan wafted into the conversation as she'd come in from the garden with her son Keiran, sending him to get food for himself while she joined the adults in this conversation.

"Ah yes, of course the wild apostate would share such a misguided view." Vivienne sneered, rolling her eyes at the Witch of the Wilds.

"The Inquisitor is a mage entrusted with the fate of the world. As was the Hero of Fereldan and she did so without the banal influence of the Chantry and it's teachings doing so." Morrigan continued, ignoring Vivienne's insult.

"The Hero of Ferelden came from the Circle in Ferelden dear, our dear Commander even confirms it as he stood guard over her." Vivienne replied.

"And yet the bulk of her ascent to power was done outside its walls and away from it's trainers. She was fresh from her Harrowing when Warden Duncan plucked her for conscription. It may shock you to hear this, First Enchanter, but she was no more of a fan of the Circle than our dear Inquisitor, in fact she had the Phylacteries of herself and a friend destroyed before leaving her circle, according to her." Morrigan said confidently.

"Are you talking about Jowan?" The familiar voice of Commander Cullen came into the fold, having heard from a recruit that Cassandra and the Inquisitor were arguing in the hall to find this discussion of Mage freedom. "I was around for that, he was a candidate for tranquility because he tried blood magic to be worthy of a harrowing." he said. "He forced her hand into becoming a Grey Warden, rather than staying in the Circle. Though her Phylactery remained intact."

"Yet another reason Circles are needed, blood mages are a menace." Vivienne added.

"You seem to be skipping a fundamental element, Enchanter." Another voice came from down the Great Hall as Solas joined the conversation. "He resorted to a form of magic commonly thought as dangerous because he was denied a harrowing and threatened with Tranquility. Did they think holding that over his head would do nothing but turn him to desperation?"

"It's those kinds of mages that the rite is reserved for, my dear Solas." Vivienne replied, "they were right in their assessment after all."

"He was a Blood Mage Solas. He attacked the Knight Captain and escaped. He even went on to poison the Arl of Redcliffe and have his son possessed." Cullen said.

"Ah, no, the boy came into possession on his own. He was startled by the poisoning and made a deal with a desire demon. Jowan went on to help his fellow Ferelden civilians escape darkspawn and used his gifts to protect them. He was better as an apostate than a tranquil." Morrigan said to contradict him.

"Solas are you a proponent of Blood magic?" Vivienne asked directly, like a snake lunging forward to strike.

"Your tone is accusatory, like that of a judge, Enchanter. You frown on a branch of magic because it has been used from ills? Yet you wield the magic of my people so freely without considering the ills done with it. A mage is not so defined by the type of magic they use, but how they use it. You are more dangerous with your lightning spells as a mage with a knife who so wishes to use their blood, are you not?" Solas was leaning towards Vivienne, turning her own accusatory tone back at her.

"She's no better than the mages she so resents from Tevinter, using Elven Magics to further herself as age sets in." Morrigan chimed in.

"You dare, apostate wench?" Vivienne asked, voice filled with pure fury. "It's a shame Templars never got their hands on you, you'd look wonderful with a tranquil brand on your forehead."

"Of course you would make the threat of tranquility. Some last rite. Oh you fell for demon bait after being warned against them til your wits end, better take all your emotions away just to be safe." The Inquisitor said.

"That is not all there is to it!" Cassandra added.

"Is it not, Cassandra?" The Inquisitor turned towards her, face half stricken with pain, half with sadness.

Like a breeze in the wind, Cole appeared. "Dark, torches going out. 'she will be fine, she's her.' Door creaks, heart quickens, not her, templar. Doesn't look at me, he knows, it is done, she is lost. 'Worse than death, won't be me, can't be me.'" He turned the the Inquisitor, "There was nothing you could do, you'd have been punished severely. Doing nothing was the only way to help."

The scene had gotten deathly quiet as all eyes turned the Inquisitor, his eyes closed, seemingly for concentration. The uncomfortable silence was broken by Cassandra. "Was that....Who was he talking about?"

"My best friend. At Ostwick. She never got her harrowing...so they made her tranquil. I almost didn’t come back after I faced despair demon the next day during my harrowing. I...."

 

Cole spoke again, " Hands clenched. Feet steady, world coming into focus on a hooded figure. 'It was easier than they made it seem. She could've done it no problem.' You felt a loss for her after your harrowing. I think she would've done nicely too."

"Who...Who is your friend who was made tranquil, if you would like to share?" Cassandra asked her love, putting a hand on his shoulder. All eyes were still trained on the Inquisitor.

"You know who I'm talking about, I still see her every day. Helisma was my best friend at Ostwick." He said somberly. "I found out later that they deemed her too willful to wield magic, that she might hurt people and it sickens me to this day. She barely remembers me now that I'm Inquisitor, but I still remember everything from those days."

The argument had come to a stand still with the revelation, the subject was incredibly personal now. Even Vivienne and Morrigan weren't at each other's throats after the sobering turn of events. "I had no idea this happened..." Cassandra said. She already knew of the failings of the Templars and the Seeker oversight of their forces, but for someone to be made tranquil on suspicion alone was beyond reason for her.

"I misjudged your reasoning on the matter, Inquisitor." Vivienne said, "You let on that Ostwick wasn't a picnic, but what happened to dear Helisma is part of the circle no one wishes for."

"And it's exactly why they should be left behind. Mages shouldn't have that put on them for anything less than a crime like Erimond committed. Mages need something other than a prison to be able to learn their craft so it's not up to non-mages to regulate us when they cannot understand us, no matter how long they watch us." The Inquisitor stood up and left the Great Hall toward the library. He descended the stairs to the second level. Unlike during the day it was very empty, even Dorian had gone to get some rest. Leliana's birds were sound asleep and there were only a few candles lit around the research area.

Helisma was hard at work studying the leftovers of the Ferelden frostback Dragon that were brought back from the Hinterlands. There were several pages of notes scattered on the table and Helisma was working on a few more when the Inquisitor drew close. "Greetings Inquisitor." She said in her usual even tone.

"Hello Helisma. Working late I see." he took a seat across from her.

"Yes. The study of the dragon remains you brought back needs to be finished before they begin to decay." She said, her writing continuing as she spoke to him.

"Well, your dedication and work is invaluable to the Inquisition." There was a pause until she finished her page, "Helisma, may I ask you something?"

"I will answer." She replied.

"Do you favor a return to the Circle after all of this is over?" he asked.

"I would remain with the Inquisition, once our primary objective is completed. I am useful here, and Skyhold is a safe place." She answered.

"I mean in general. Are the Circles a good thing?" he asked.

Her writing stopped. "Well....Mages need a place to study their abilities. They also require safety. Studies are best done in safety." She said. "That is my personal assessment on the matter."

"Thank you, Helisma. I always value your input on these things. I'll leave to your work." The Inquisitor rose from the table and walked back down into the hall. Wanting to just go to sleep.

"Thank you, Bhima." Helisma said. Inquisitor Trevelyan stopped and looked back at her to see she was turned to look at him. "I will help you as best as I can." She said before turning back to her work.

The Inquisitor couldn't help but smile as he returned to his quarters.

 

He found Cassandra waiting for him as she would normally. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I will be. What happened after I left, I hope we don't have any funerals to plan." he chuckled softly as he joined her in the bed.

"No. Morrigan returned to her quarters with Kieran and Solas went to explore the fade. Vivienne and Cullen left in their own conversation and I came here to wait for you." Cassandra seemed to have more to say but words weren't her specialty. "When we talked about the Seekers knowing how to reverse the rite....you were thinking Helisma when you asked me if I would try to find a way for it to be done safely, weren't you?"

"I was. If anyone deserves a second chance at magic, it's her. She also gave me an idea that I'm going to discuss with Grand Enchanter Fiona tomorrow." He brought Cassandra close, resting against her as he loved to do in times of intimacy.

"If I know you, maybe it will be how to magically produce tiny cakes." Cassandra said.

"Well, now, it just might be."


End file.
